PROSECUTION'S APPEAL AGAINST SYED SADDIQ'S ACQUITTAL TO PROCEED - AGC

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 - (Bernama) -- The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has directed the prosecution to proceed with its appeal against the acquittal of Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman on charges of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and money laundering involving Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds.

 The matter was stated in a letter by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin to the deputy registrar of the Federal Court, which was obtained by the media today.

“Pursuant to the order by the Honourable President of the Court of Appeal to both parties in open court on Dec 12, 2025, the appellant (the prosecution) sought the views and instructions of the Attorney General (Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar) regarding this matter.

“The Attorney General has instructed that the appeal be continued and that any decision of the court be accepted. Accordingly, the appellant maintains the written and oral submissions previously submitted in this appeal. All consideration, discretion and cooperation in this matter are greatly appreciated,” stated the letter.

When contacted, Wan Shaharuddin said the letter was submitted to the court at 9.10 am today, adding that he remained confident in the strength of the prosecution’s case.

"We (the prosecution) and the lawyers have argued on the important issues of this appeal. Therefore, we leave it to the discretion of the panel of judges of the Federal Court to make a decision," said Wan Shaharuddin, who is Senior Director of the Legal and Prosecution Division of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

On Dec 12, Court of Appeal President Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, who led a three-judge Federal Court panel, granted the prosecution a one-week ‘cooling-off’ period to review its appeal against Syed Saddiq’s acquittal after both parties completed their submissions.

In an unprecedented turn, Judge Abu Bakar said the prosecution must deliberate and formally declare its position on whether to proceed with the appeal.

Judge Abu Bakar, who sat with Federal Court Judges Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Razali and Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, said that during his tenure as a deputy public prosecutor in the Attorney General’s Chambers, it was standard practice to convene meetings and review submissions.

On June 25, the Court of Appeal acquitted and released Syed Saddiq, 33, after allowing his appeal to set aside the conviction and sentence of seven years' imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a fine of RM10 million decided by the High Court on Nov 9, 2023.

The following day, the Attorney General's Chambers filed an appeal to the Federal Court.

Syed Saddiq was charged with abetting former Armada Assistant Treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali to commit criminal breach of trust against Armada funds amounting to RM1 million at CIMB Bank Berhad, KL Sentral on March 6, 2020, under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, caning and a fine.

He was also charged with misusing RM120,000 belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment of between six months and five years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.

Syed Saddiq was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving transfers of RM50,000 each into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of up to five times the amount involved, upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA